This Week in Tallahasee: The Final Committee Week

This is the final week of Interim Committee Weeks before the 2025 session begins on March 4th.

The schedule for K-12 Education meetings is light. Two bills will be heard by Senate Education, both focused on children with autism. Neither Budget/Appropriations commitee is meeting. The House Education Administration subcommittee is going on a field trip. If you can’t be there in person, committee meetings can be watched on The Florida Channel.

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

11a-1 p Senate Ed PreK-12 

• SB 112 by Harrell—Children with Developmental Disabilities
  • The bill proposes several initiatives to enhance services for children with developmental disabilities, specifically autism:
  • Expansion of the Cinotti Health Care Screening and Services Grant Program: The bill broadens the program’s scope to include funding for screenings, referrals, and related services specifically targeting autism.
  • Establishment of the Early Steps Extended Option: Provides continued support for children transitioning from early intervention services, allowing eligible children to receive services until the start of the school year following their third birthday. The Department of Health is tasked with seeking federal approval and funding for this initiative.
  • Collaboration for Smooth Transitions: The bill mandates that local Early Steps Program offices work closely with school districts to ensure seamless transitions for children moving out of the Early Steps Extended Option. This includes developing individualized education plans and informing parents or guardians about available services.
  • Grant Program for Autism Services: Designates the University of Florida Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment to oversee grants aimed at supporting children with autism. The grants could be utilized for various purposes, including enhancing service delivery and developing innovative programs.
• SB 102 by Gaetz—Exceptional Student Education
  • The bill focuses on workforce development for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or those on a modified curriculum.
  • It requires the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) to develop and implement a workforce credential program, enabling students to earn badges that signify the acquisition of specific skills aligned with employer needs. Each badge would require demonstration of five distinct skills or behaviors, including workplace safety.
  • The FLDOE also must collaborate with the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities in developing and implementing the program.
  • The FLDOE must produce annual reports from 2026 through 2030, detailing program operations, badges offered, student participation rates, post-graduation employment data, and other relevant outcomes. 

Wednesday February 19, 2025

No scheduled PreK-12 meetings

Thursday, February 20, 2025

9am-11am House Careers and Workforce

• Meeting Florida’s workforce needs: panel discussion on apprenticeships, including strategies to expand participation in apprenticeships and preapprenticeships across the state

2pm-4pm House Education Administration

• Field trip to Tallahassee Collegiate Academy.
  • During the 2021 Legislative Session, SB1028 passed, allowing state universities and Florida College System institutions to sponsor charter schools ( previously, only district school boards could serve as charter school sponsors). The bill was co-sponsored by then-Senator Manny Diaz.
  • In January 2023, the FLDOE approved Tallahassee Community College (TCC) as the first college charter school authorizer.
  • In August 2023, Tallahassee Collegiate Academy opened its doors on the TCC campus. It prides itself in allowing students to earn both a high school diploma and an Associate in Science degree in a STEM field at the same time. It currently serves ~150 students in grades 9-12.

Not Meeting This Week:

• Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K – 12 Education
• House Student Academic Success Subcomittee
• House PreK-12 Budget
• House Education and Workforce (The main House Education policy committee has not held any meetings during committee weeks)